Manila Sight Seeing

Let me share with you guys the experience I had while visiting Manila's Landmarks.

This is part of my tour to National Museum. And since I'm already within the vicinity I visited some of Manila's most cherished landmarks.

My first stop was Quiapo Church, also known as Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene. This church houses the Black Nazarene. Thousands of devotees flock the church during the Feast of Black Nazarene during January 9. I went there Sunday and never expected that the devotion of Filipinos to the Black Nazarene was immensed. Even outside the church people gathered for the Mass. There's a big LCD screen outside so that even people from the outside can hear, witness and participate in the mass. 

If you're into fortune telling there were fortune tellers offering their services to share insights of what your future may bring. There were also vendors selling candles of different colors and forms; some were shaped like humans, I don't know what's that for. You can also check cheap electronic equipment being sold nearby Carriedo Street. 

After my visit to the National Museum, I took photos of the Manila City Hall's Clock tower. I think I have a great view from the National Museum's location. After taking some good shots, I went to Luneta Park to check the Lapu-Lapu's humongous statue in front of DOT's main office.  

While strolling Luneta a Kalesa driver suddenly approached me and offered me a Kalesa tour. He said Twenty pesos as what I've heard. He offered to tour me around Luneta then Roxas Boulevard. So I asked again how much he said "twenty hundred pesos", so I assumed it's 200 pesos. So I board the carriage and while strolling around he began telling stories about his children and how poor they were. I didn't mind him though since I was busy taking photos. We went to Intramuros and showed me Fort Santiago but since it's already past five I wasn't able to get inside. So we proceed to Palacio del Gobernador then Manila Cathedral. And since it's getting late and my stomach was grumbling I told him that we need to head back to Luneta. On my way back he told me to give the payment to his son who was onboard the kalesa as well, so  I asked him again how much was it, he told me it's "twenty hundred", so I clarified by saying "it's two hundred pesos right?" Then he told me that it's 2000 pesos! I was petrified with what I heard and told him that he told me before the tour that it's 200 php, that's when the commotion began. He brought me in a dark spot near Ayala bridge and I went down the carriage. I told him that 2k was too much and he was overcharging me. I showed him my wallet and all I have back then was just 500 php. He said that 1k will be ok and he seems pretty agitated and seems will use brute force to intimidate me to get what he wanted. By that moment I felt scared that he might stab me and just grab my things then left me there for dead, but I stood my ground and showed him that I'm not intimidated and I will fight my way out of this if needed. So after a few minutes of excruciating discussion, he gave up and agreed at 500 php. I told him that he needs to bring me first to SM Manila before he get his payment, so he agreed. Arriving at SM Manila I gave him the payment and I went inside the mall, from there I felt great relief. 

The Kalesa driver from behind, his kalesa was painted in red and yellow.

If he can do this to his own countrymen what more to foreign tourist? I'm not saying that all Kalesa Drivers in Luneta was just like him but it makes me sad that people like him gives a bad impression to tourist especially to foreigners.  Maybe this is one of the reason why Philippines lagged behind our ASEAN neighbors in terms of tourist arrivals. I forgot his name and wasn't able to get a photo of him, but hopefully this will serve as a caution to local and foreign tourists alike.

Plaza Santiago in front of Fort Santiago entrance

Manila Cathedral

Palacio del Gobernador now serves as COMELEC's head office

After having my dinner at SM Manila, I decided to go to Divisoria to check the newly-constructed Lucky China Town Mall. The developer did a terrific job on this, associating the architecture of the mall to the surrounding structures and the history of place.  Hopefully mall developers will do the same in associating indigenous designs to their structures. Kudos to the developer of Lucky China Town Mall which I believe is Megaworld. 

My Christmas Tree

Let me just share with you guys our Christmas tree. The tree is 6 ft tall. The decorations we have there were bought every Christmas that were incurred. Since we have a lot of decorations now we haven't added anything for the past 2 years. The Xmas lights we have in there were bought last year. The thing about buying Xmas lights is that no matter how expensive it is there's no assurance that it will still be working for the next Christmas. I can't remember how many times we bought Xmas lights - LED, RICE, REGULAR, it might cheap or pricey. The lights we have right now was just 100 php each. We bought two last year and to my surprise it's still working. 

Christmas wreath that I made

National Musem - Art Gallery

Finally, like what I said on my previous post about the National Museum that I will find time to visit the Art Gallery, since that time it's under renovation so it was close to public --  and finally I was able to visit the Art Gallery. 

This will be my first time to visit the Art Gallery and I can say that they did a great job on renovating the interiors of the old Congress building. The building lobby gives you the feel of its former glory.

My first stop was the infamous Spolarium by Juan Luna which depicts the cruelty of the Spaniards to Filipinos during the Spanish colonization.

I also took pictures of the renovated interior of the Spolarium gallery

There's another painting opposite of Spolarium but I forgot to get the name of the painter. It has the same theme as Spolarium about the Spanish rule of Philippines.

I don't know who is Jose Joya but his oil in wood creation named NALAD was quite interesting.

Vincente Manansala's "Planting of the First Cross".

Gallery VIII by Silvina and Juan C. Laya. Paintings and sculpture depicting the era of war, specifically the imperial Japanese occupation, the Liberation of the Philippines by American and Filipino forces, and the destruction of Manila.

Gallery X the Museum Foundation Hall. This gallery is dedicated to the progress of medicine in the Philippines, a set of four large paintings by Carlos V. Francisco specifically commissioned for the entrance hall of Philippine General Hospital in 1953

There are also paintings by Fernando Amorsolo.

Portrait of Julieta Abad Rufino 

Portrait of a Lady (unfinished)

Portrait of Manual Roxas

Various Drawings, Studies and Notes by Fernando Amorsolo; Graphite on paper.

I don't know who's Ramon Peralta but this painting freaks me out, it seems the girl on the painting was staring at me. I'm sorry for the shot 'coz this painting is larger than me and due to small space I wasn't to get a perfect angle to take a good picture. 

Portrait of Serapia Santos y Aduna By Ramon Peralta

Gallery V is works by the polymath and National Hero Dr.Jose P. Rizal, including four original sculptures and one fine drawing, View of Gendarmenmarkt, from his 1886 sojourn in Berlin. Included is Rizal's work Mother's Revenge, a declared National Cultural Treasure , together with his bust of Ricardo Carcinero, San Pablo Ermitano, Oyang Dapitana as well as several portrait busts and painting of Rizal by eminent Filipino artists, including Isabelo Tampinco and Martino Abellana from the early 20th century until the 1950's.

 Bust of Ricardo Carcinero by Jose Rizal

San Pablo Ermitano by Jose Rizal

Oyang Dapitana by Jose P. Rizal

Oyang Dapitana by Guillermo E. Tolentino, Jose Rizal and Isabelo L. Tampinco

View of Gendarmenmarkt by Jose Rizal

There's alot of Juan Luna paintings on display but this portrait of a lady from Bulacan I believe since the Title of the painting is Una Bulaquena really caught my attention cause it seems the lady in the portrait is alive. As they say, you can call yourself a great painter if your work looks alive. 

I wasn't able to visit the other galleries since I went there late already. The museum closes til 5pm so be there early because there's a lot to see inside the museum. But at least I was able to fulfill my mission to see the infamous Spolarium by Juan Luna. 

The Art gallery is also free of charge during Sundays, so there's no excuse for each and every Filipino not to visit the museum. Please find time guys, let us find time to see how rich our culture and history is. We must be proud that our ancestors was able to give us treasures like these.

To get to the museum, please check my previous post. Directions and fees were stated there.